Monday Motivation: ‘Let’s Go Library’

Inspired by the regular visits I’ve been paying to the Library due to my copious amounts of dissertation reading, I am going to dedicate today’s blog to the hub of every university.

So I’d like to cover the essential things you should think of bringing when going to the Library to study. I’ve tried to keep it general as it typically depends on what you plan to do there. But as a bioscience student, more often than not you’re going to sit there to write up lecture notes in the study areas or use the computers to search and read some papers.

• A to-do list: No matter how long you plan to spend at the Library, you are going to run into distractions. Having a clear idea of why you settled down in front of that long desk in the first place is going to help you be more productive. Try and plan what you’re going to do each hour you’re there so you vary your workload and you don’t get too bored.
• Headphones/earphones: If like me, you’re unable to work properly in the presence of a lot of background noise, having something to cancel out the whispered conversations of neighbors and the hum of the printers is always useful. It’s also beneficial to bring a pair if you want to listen to music but we can relate that back to the potential distraction point.
• A strong bag: The chances are you’ll come to the library and you’ll be bringing home a copy of the big Molecular Biology textbook your lecturer recommended. So save yourself the arm ache and bring along a bag that can carry one or two alongside your other essentials.
• Water bottle: It can get hot in the rooms and also your brain will need some rehydration after all the thinking. There are drinking water taps available in the loos so that’s useful.
• A (relatively studious) study buddy: Okay, so potential distractions point aside, having someone there to motivate you to get through those lab books makes the task way more fun. Plus at least you have someone to go on a lunch break with.

A question that gets asked often is “how often do you go to the Library?”. The true answer is that it really depends on the course and the type of person you are. I’m the type that can easily get certain assignments and reading done in her room. At the same time, my room is quite dim so reading a lot of papers isn’t ideal. Hence why I try and get most of it done in the Library.

Considering the habits of other bioscience students across all disciplines leads to the same conclusion. Some of my friends only go if they absolutely have to, some can stay late working. I think the point to take away is the Library is there for your individual use and it has the resources to support you in whatever way you need. There are areas to accommodate computer use, group use (group study and group rooms) and even individual silent study. There’s even a cafe downstairs for you to get that official afternoon tea break before another round of crunching down on those research reviews.

Final point: Always remember your student card! Not only do you need it now to register attendance, but you won’t get past the Library cafe without it. 

So are you a devoted David Wilson Library visitor? Or do you still need a tad bit of convincing? Let me know below!